Learning Flexibility and Confidence with FBLA by Shesh

Learning Flexibility and Confidence with FBLA by Shesh - March 2024 Scholarship Essay

During my junior and senior years of high school, I participated in FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and was paired with a teammate who had a contrasting approach to preparation.. While I liked to plan things out carefully, he was very confident and didn’t think too much about preparation. This difference in our styles initially made me doubt how well we could work together.
But as we started working together more closely, I realized there was a lot I could learn from him. Even though I was all about preparing thoroughly, seeing how confident he was made me think maybe I could afford to loosen up a bit. One moment that really stood out was during a presentation we had to give. I was sticking to the script like glue, but he was adding little touches here and there that made it more lively. It made me realize that sometimes it’s okay to go off script and be spontaneous.
This lesson came in handy during my senior year FBLA event. We had to do role-playing exercises where we had to make up presentations on the spot based on prompts we were given. Because of what I learned from my teammate, I felt more comfortable thinking on my feet and adapting to whatever came our way.
Working with him wasn’t just about FBLA though. It taught me a lot about teamwork and appreciating different perspectives. I learned that success doesn’t always come from sticking to a strict plan, but sometimes it’s about being flexible and confident in your abilities. This experience not only improved our performance in FBLA competitions (as we qualified/will go to states twice) but also helped me develop essential skills for teamwork and collaboration in various aspects of life.